Interior Design

Contrary to what some may think, interior design is an art form. Many people think that art is only displayed on tangible surfaces, such as paper or canvas. Any room an be turned into a work of art with a little creativity and imagination. Redesigning interiors is a career for many. Interior designers should be considered artists just as much as a painter or sculptor would. Designing interiors takes a lot more effort than just slapping some paint on the walls and rearranging furniture. There are many emotions that can be expressed through countless color schemes. The arrangement of the furniture can play a big role in tenderizing the mood for the room. Interior design styles are always changing. Many trends come and go, but there are some that remain timeless and are still exhibited in households today. Interior design is a creative art form that involves extensive planning, knowledge of different styles, and skills to redecorate.

There is sometimes a distinction made between interior decorating and interior design. Interior decorating is generally focused more on finishes, such as wallpaper, paint, window coverings, and furnishings. Interior design tends to be more integrated with the architecture, and in addition to the above areas, might also be involved in cabinet making, room layout, window placement, appliance selection, tile and floor selection, and so on.

Planning is one of the most important steps in redesigning a room. It is vital to take in consideration the use of the room, the size of the room, what mood you want to set, and who is going to be using the space. The layout of a room refers to how the furniture is arranged. For example, a double bed should not be pushed up against the wall on the side (Stanley). Achieving balance is necessary in order for the room to be organized. When deciding how to balance your room, there are three main types to choose from.

The first type of balance is symmetrical. This type of balance is the most formal of the three, and leaves little to the imagination. If a line was drawn through the middle, the composition would reveal identical scenes on each side of the line (Van Dommelen, 10). Therefore, each part of the room is repeated. This type of balance is exhibited most in traditional architecture and design. Symmetrical balance is not always attainable in a room, but its use contributes to the formality of appearance (Whiton, 764).

The second type of balance is asymmetrical. This type is more casual than symmetrical, and is therefore found in more contemporary interiors and modern architecture (Van Dommelen, 10). It is appropriate in all types of settings, however, and is considered to have the most freedom when it comes to the layout of a room. There is no obvious center line, so the balance relies on the sizes of elements and the distribution. The final type of balance is radial. This type of balance is inspired by the wheel. The balance radiates from a center point or core. It is the least common of the three, and is mostly used in dining rooms or conversational areas.

Two more important aspects in the layout of a room are unity and variety. Unity can be described in the same way as harmony and continuity. It is important to have unity because it ties all the elements in a room together. Achieving unity can be accomplished in several ways. Some examples include painting all the walls the same color, or using the same type of furniture or wood. In order to avoid monotony, it is important to not have everything the same color. Variety is used to break the sameness of unity (Van Dommelen, 9). Many different techniques can be used to create variety. Some of these techniques include different colors, woods, or furniture styles. It's important to have a balance between unity and variety. If there is too much unity, the room will seem unappealing, while too much variety will create a cluttered or messy appearance.

When you walk into a room, there is usually one main point that catches your attention. This is called the focal point or center of interest (Van Dommelen, 11). When you put emphasis on one element, it creates this center of interest. It is important to have emphasis in a room. Without it, there is nothing for the eye to focus on or catch someone's attention. The room will seem very boring.

There are many different ways to achieve emphasis in a room. Most points of interest stand out because they are contrasted from other elements. The most common way of emphasizing is through color. For example, in a neutral color scheme, the center of interest could be a bright color. Emphasis can also be exhibited through texture and size. There can be, and usually is more than one focal point in a room. Emphasis is a good technique to use when a room lacks interest.

Another factor to consider when designing a room is rhythm. Rhythm is the movement of the eye across a design (Van Dommelen, 12). Rhythm can be exhibited in many different ways. Repetition creates rhythm. Repeating an element, such as a shape or line is one way to incorporate rhythm in a room. It is important to make the rhythm varied to avoid a boring appearance.

Unity and variety play a big role when considering rhythm. Unity is responsible for moving the eye across the design, while variety makes it interesting to look at. A miscellaneous set of prints can be given a unity it lacks if each print is given a mat of the same distinctive color (Gilliatt 213). Continuous line is another way to provide rhythm. This causes the eye to move slowly along the line. Progression of sizes is also an example of rhythm. In this technique, different sized objects are arranged to direct attention towards a certain point in the room. An example of progression of sizes is a row of candles where the big one is placed on one end, then the medium one, and then the small one.

Along with the layout, color is important because they play a role in determining the mood of the room. It also gives character and personality to the room. There are two ways to consider color. One way is the scientists' approach, which is more concerned with the science of color and their properties. The other way is the artistic approach, which is more common in interior design. The artistic, or aesthetic approach mainly focuses on how the colors look together, or make you feel.

The definition of color scheme is the planned combination of colors. A color scheme is a planned, pleasing combination of colors for a room or a house (Hammett, 1). There are no set rules to creating a color scheme, choosing the colors is one of the most creative aspect of designing a room. There are however, different types of color schemes and guidelines to go by when grouping colors together. There are related, contrasting, and creative color schemes. Related color schemes have three different groups. There are monochromatic